IUCN threat status:

Brief Summary

Biology

The Chinese grouse is thought to be primarily monogamous, with females choosing their mate from a selection of competing males from late March through to May. Males hold territories and perform a 'flutter-jump' behaviour that is believed to advertise their territory and attract females (6). Five to eight eggs are laid from the end of May through to June in a grass and moss nest at the base of a tree, in a tree stump or on a rocky ledge (2). After broods disperse around mid-October, most birds abandon their territories and begin to form flocks of around four to five individuals, particularly young males and females. Flock size increases to 13 or 14 in early December, although this appears to vary with habitat and food availability (7). The Chinese grouse forages on the ground or in trees (2), feeding on spruce seeds, the buds and leaves of willow and birch, and the flowers, leaves and shoots of a variety of other shrubs and herbs (5).